International Relations Major
International relations is an interdisciplinary major that prepares students to participate actively in the international community. The core courses required of all majors provide a general understanding of the history and structure of the current international system. The program also emphasizes the development of analytical techniques, critical thinking skills, and an appreciation of the complexities of the world’s divergent political, economic, and cultural systems. In addition to the core courses, the student chooses a geographical area of concentration from the following: the developed world, Latin America, Africa, or Asia.
Nine designated hours of courses meet General Education requirements. Because of the importance of foreign languages to anyone working in the international arena, majors are expected to establish a minimum competency at the 202 level in a modern foreign language. International relations majors are also strongly encouraged to include a semester abroad in the country of their foreign language competency as part of their program.
Students also complete an additional three-hour intermediate-level course in a modern language beyond Lynchburg College’s general education requirement, with many IR majors continuing their language studies through the completion of either a minor or a second major in a foreign language. Advanced language study together with the multi-disciplinary nature of the degree prepares students for the possibility of studying abroad, an option that many IR majors pursue prior to graduation.
Another special feature of the IR major is the unique experiential learning opportunities offered to students in the program. IR majors are strongly advised to participate in an inter-collegiate simulation of either the European Union’s primary decision-making bodies or the major institutions of the United Nations. These experiential exercises enable students to test their learning beyond the bounds of the traditional four-wall classroom. Traditional in-class learning becomes ever more powerful when it is paired with relevant co-curricular learning such as studying abroad and the European Union and Model United Nations simulations. Lynchburg College has made a commitment to provide its International Relations students with the opportunities to help them become successful global citizens in this ever-changing world.